


Curfew

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-25
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 00:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1367758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my AU where Katniss and Peeta died in the 75th Games and the Revolution never got started.   Haymitch returned home and felt obligated to take care of Prim and her mother.    He's worried about Prim being outside after the District curfew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Haymitch and Calla were pacing back and forth. Calla grabbed her coat and ran for the door. Haymitch pulled her by the arm.

“Calla….don’t.

“We have to find Prim. It’s almost curfew and….

“Calla…you’ll get shot on sight. Someone in the Seam will let Prim spend the night. Haymitch said.

“If she’s at someone’s house but….

“Calla, she doesn’t go in the woods. The Hob closed down half an hour ago and I checked she hasn’t been back since I took her there after school. The stupid cat is in the kitchen, the goat is in the pen. She must have lost track of time.

“Haymitch she wouldn’t do that. Calla said. She knows what can happen.

“She’s still a kid. I remember there was a district wide curfew when we were her age. A friend of mine Thom Allerton got caught five minutes late and got a dozen lashes. Haymitch was looking out the window and let out a sigh of relief. “She just got into the village. What’s the time?

Calla looked at the clock and said. 6:59

“Calla, you have to deal with this. Thread put an eleven year old in the stocks for being in his backyard a minute after seven. Haymitch held open the door and Prim ran in a few seconds before the clock in the Town Square began to chime.

Calla wrapped her arms around her daughter who said. “I’m sorry Mom.”

Haymitch lost it. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re sorry. That makes everything fine. We’d be so sorry when you got shot.

Calla was trembling. “Haymitch, I know she was wrong but she’s only thirteen. The Peacekeepers aren’t going to shoot anyone under sixteen.

Haymitch was frustrated. “Fine, you deal with it. You‘re probably right, they’ll only put her in the stocks for a day or maybe attach her to the whipping post in the middle of the square. “You know they don’t only do that to boys.

“They have never done that to women here is 12. Calla said.

“They do in Districts 11, 2, and 8 and that’s where these charmers were transferred from. He yelled. “Prim, Where the hell were you?

“I was at the Hawthornes.

“You headed there at 4:00. You should have been back here by 5:30. “That’s if you crawled to the Seam.

Prim sighed. “They sent Gale home early.

Calla frowned and Haymitch asked. “So?”

“I brought Hazelle some milk and bread. I also gave her the money I made selling the cheese in the Hob. Mom they don’t have anything and Gale doesn’t get paid until tomorrow. He came home and saw me giving his mother the money. He wouldn’t take it because he thought it came from Haymitch.

Calla shook her head. “What about the food?

“He didn’t see it. Hazelle had already fed it to the kids.

“So what happened? Haymitch asked.

“I told him it wasn’t your money. That I made it in the Hob. He thought it was too much and he threw it back in my face. I was arguing with him and then I heard the half hour warning gong. I left right away to come home.

Haymitch was stunned. “He didn’t invite you to stay???

“He did but I knew you and Mom would be worried sick.

“Primrose Everdeen that was very dangerous. Calla said. “You should have just stayed there.

“Did he run after you? Haymitch asked.

Prim was confused. “He called after me. I told him I had to go and just ran home.

Knock Knock.

Haymitch looked out the window and saw it was the Head Peacekeeper. He turned to the ladies. “Just be quiet. Let me handle it He opened the door. Commander, it’s always a pleasure.

“Mr. Abernathy Is everything all right?

“Of course Commander. Why?

“One of my men said they saw your girl running into the Victor’s Village. She barely made curfew.

Haymitch nodded. “That’s true but she did make it. At least the official curfew. She will have an earlier personal curfew effective immediately.

The curfew is in place to keep everyone safe. Thread said.

“Absolutely. I personally guarantee she’ll never cut it that close again.

Thread nodded. “Mrs. Everdeen, Miss Everdeen have a good night.

Haymitch let him out and waited until he saw him leave the village.

He turned to both of them. “Calla, tomorrow I want you to go to Hazelle and hire her to do my laundry. 

“Gale won’t let her and I can take care of…..

“Calla, hire her. She’ll bring the laundry here to collect her pay. That way Prim can give her food, money, whatever…in this house. I’m going to talk to Gale tomorrow and tell him how close Prim was to being arrested. 

“He didn’t mean for that to happen. Prim said.

“We know Sweetheart. Calla said. But…

“But nothing Calla. Prim, he’s a man. He should have tied you to a chair instead of letting you leave his house that late. It’s not like we live next door.

“Haymitch. he couldn’t stop me.

“Yes, he could. When I was fifteen I tied up one of my brother’s friends from town. There was no way the kid could have made it home in time and I knew his father was going to beat him bloody the next day but it was still better than…..getting caught. I wouldn’t let any of your friends head out for the Seam after the warning bell. He should know better.

Prim said. “I think he was surprised that it was so late and…

“I’m done talking about Gale. Now I want to talk about you. Promise me if you’re ever close to curfew you’ll just stay where you are.

Prim nodded. “I promise. I just didn’t want to worry anyone.

“Great don't worry us, just get scarred for life. Now until further notice I want you in this house by the warning bell. I had to practically restrain your mother from going out to look for you.

She hugged her mother. “I’m sorry.

Calla kissed her. “We were both terrified.

“Your mother was terrified. Haymitch said. I’m just annoyed you disrupted Happy Hour. 

Calla smiled. “Are you going to limit your drinking to one hour a day?

He opened his bottle in response.

Calla said to Prim. “Go heat up the stew. You must be starving. 

Calla leaned over and whispered to Haymitch. “You really care about us. It’s not just an act.

“Calla you know we have to keep up the charade.

“Not when we’re alone. Calla said. “You were acting like very concerned father whether you want to admit it or not. 

“I’m not her….

“Just remember it goes both ways. We’re getting attached to you.


	2. Talking to Gale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day after Prim almost got arrested for missing curfew. Haymitch needs to talk to Gale.

It was Sunday and Haymitch knew Gale would show up at the Hob. Calla tried to talk him out of doing this but he needed to get this settled for Prim’s sake.

Haymitch was drinking but not drunk he wanted to keep his wits about him. He heard when Gale came in. The damn fool was carrying a turkey. A squirrel or pigeons were one thing, you could slip them in your coat but to risk coming in with something that big he must really need things. With the cash he got he was buying shoes for his brothers. 

He saw Haymitch and walked over to him. “Did Prim get home on time last night? Gale whispered.

“No thanks to you.” Haymitch growled.

“That’s not my fault. Gale said sharply. 

“Are you done trading? Haymitch asked.

Gale nodded.

“Let’s go for a walk.

Gale followed him outside and was surprised that Haymitch was walking in the direction of the Seam. 

Haymitch said. “I can walk wherever the hell I want. You have no reason to be in the Victor’s Village.

Gale shook his head and sighed. “No, I guess I don’t. He pushed past Haymitch who had trouble keeping up with him.

“Look…Prim’s just a girl. You know you should have kept her at your house last night. I’d have done the same for any of your kid brothers.

“I called after her. She didn’t want to stay.

“Do you remember the bite of that whip? Do you want the same thing to happen to her?

“She’s too young and she has your protection. Gale said sharply.

“Gale being an Everdeen makes her unpopular with Peacekeepers. Especially Thread. If and when she becomes more Abernathy than Everdeen I can protect her better.

Gale laughed “Abernathy over Everdeen? Katniss must be rolling in her grave.

“Kid, I know you miss her. You’re still in the “I can’t believe she’s really dead phase. I spent a year like that back in the day.

“Did Katniss really ask you to take care of her family? I would have done it you know. Gale said sadly.

“Gale you have enough on your plate.

“Did Katniss ask you? Gale yelled. “Did she really trust you more than me or was it about the money?

“Money means a lot once you’ve had a taste of it. Haymitch said gently

“So I’m supposed to believe she sold you her mother and sister?

Haymitch took a swing at him and missed. He fell on the ground and heard the younger man chuckle. Haymitch stood up and dusted the dirt off him. He might not be able to hit Gale but he could hurt him.

“No Hawthorne. It was the better man. Peeta was the one who asked me to take care of them. Didn’t you see that touching look he gave the camera after Katniss died? He opened his medallion and showed it to the camera. That was a message to me. Katniss was so caught up in trying to keep Peeta alive she didn’t bother to make formal arrangements for her family. Besides she knew that her Seam “backup” plan would take up the slack if Peeta didn’t make it.

Gale shoved him but Haymitch expected it and pushed back. “Kid, we don’t like each other. That’s obvious. You loved Katniss. I know that. Calla and Prim know that and it sucks that you’re stuck being her “cousin”. You can’t even publicly grieve. All I’m asking you is that you treat Prim like a baby sister. If she’s doing something stupid like last night keep her safe. Swallow your pride and let her give you her trading money.

“I don’t want anything from you.”

“I’m not giving you a dime. Haymitch said sharply. “She keeps milking that stupid goat every day. She would give it away if she didn’t feel an obligation to trade it for your family. I’ve tried to keep her out of the Hob but she doesn’t listen. My parenting skills are rusty

Gale shook his head. “Parenting skills? Really? Do you have a bunch of brats running around the Capitol?

Haymitch was really trying to keep his temper. “No. Like you I was raising my little brother. Unlike you I didn’t know how to trap. I wouldn’t risk going into the woods. I was counting the days till I could work in the mines. You know about that.

“Yeah, but instead you got the soft life of a Victor. Gale spat.

“Soft? Did Katniss have a soft life? I think she was as screwed up as me she just hadn’t hit the bottle yet. She would have held it together until Prim was eighteen but then I would have had a new drinking buddy unless Peeta kept her locked up most of the time.

Gale was furious at the mention of Peeta. “What are you going to do when Prim turns eighteen? Are you going to throw the two of them in the street?

“Hawthorne, it’s none of your business. I could die of liver disease before she turns eighteen. That’s between me, Calla and Prim. We don’t need a fourth. Look, I don’t want to be your enemy.

“We’re not going to be friends. Gale snapped.

“Good. All my friends died in the last year and I don’t want to take Calla and Prim to your funeral. Treat Calla and Prim respectfully, they’re doing what they need to survive. Just like you are.


End file.
